Echoes of Tomorrow
by Scarlett6
Summary: Life went on without her so it seemed. But then again she let it. Millicent thought she knew what she wanted, but when an old friend re-enters her life her previous resolutions are questioned. A BlaiseMillicent Romance with many other minor pairings.
1. Default Chapter

**Title:** Echoes of Tomorrow

**Pairing:** Blaise/Millicent

**Rating:** PG'ish may bump up later

**disclaimer:** I don't own any of this for the love of Christ!

**Part I**

Her cheeks ached, one was certainly not meant to hold a smile for this long. She watched as a line of students marched across the stage each smiling as they shook hands with their headmaster. It had been six years since she had made the same path. Six years since she had walked away from the hallowed halls of her school and her childhood. Today she was back to watch her brother cross that same path into adulthood.

Wes paused at the center of the stage, shook hands vigorously with Headmaster Dumbledore and turned out to the audience. His blue eyes met his sisters and his smile widened. He inclined his head and bounded off the stage to take his seat.

Millicent heaved a sigh. He was grown now. There wasn't anything she could do to protect him anymore... not that he needed it. He had proved himself entirely competent, but old habits die hard she thought.

As the ceremony wrapped up and the remainder of the alphabet received their diploma's Millicent's eyes scanned the crowd. A slightly less bushy head of brown hair caught her sight first. She sat next to a tall red-head. Not shocking there. For what little she had kept up with classmates after graduation she knew from Wes that Hermione had returned to Hogwarts as a favor to Dumbledore. Apparently McGonagall had taken a well deserved leave of absence and Hermione had assumed her teaching responsibilities until the professor returned.

The pair had been together at their graduation, it wasn't a surprise to see them together now, nor was it a surprise to see the ring glinting on her left hand as Hermione straightened a strand of flyaway hair.

Millicent's eyes continued to scan the crowd, she didn't expect to see anyone else she knew after all not many had younger siblings the same age as Wes. There was a spattering of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws that she vaguely recognized. Her roaming eyes came to an abrupt stop on a tall dark haired figure.

Blaise... Why in Merlin's beard was he here. She knew for a fact that he didn't have any younger siblings. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in his familiar figure. He was still the tall, dark, handsome figure he'd been in school. The same figure that she'd wasted many an hour pining over in her foolish school girl crush. He'd matured now though, his features deepened, his shoulders filled out and his attractiveness only heightened.

She knew she had let her friendship with him slip away over the years, hell she had let it slip with everyone. But there were times that it was easier to just lose contact than to explain her life as it was... sometimes the condolences and looks of pity just weren't worth it.

She still wrote to Blaise occasionally, they'd been close friends during school but upon graduation he had been shuttled off to Italy to begin work in his father's company and she'd slipped off to her family's manor and attempted to pick up the pieces of her life left behind after the death of her parents. It wasn't what she wanted to do... but Wes needed to be supported and she just couldn't leave what her parents had worked so hard to develop merely because she didn't want to work in the magical creature exchange. Ultimately they had lost touch... and she supposed as she looked down at the robes she wore today that she had worn six years ago that it was just as well.

Before she could ponder anymore, everyone was standing and applauding the recent graduates and Wes was approaching his arm wrapped around the waist of a blonde Ravenclaw.

"Millie!" he called out, a wide grin on his face.

Millicent stood and smoothed her robes before she pulled her brother into a hug. "Congratulations Wes." She pulled back and smiled up at him. "I'm so proud of you."

Wes smiled down at his sister. They were as different as night and day. Wes had inherited the sandy blonde hair of their mother as well as her softer features. Millicent took after their father with his dark hair and rough-hewn build. But they shared the same blue eyes.

"I couldn't have done it without you sis!" He hugged her back. "I want to introduce you to someone." Wes stepped back from his sister and turned to the girl standing next to him. "This," he linked hands with the girl, "is Angela... my girlfriend."

Millicent raised an eyebrow. So this was the girl he had so vaguely mentioned in all his letters this semester. "Nice to meet you Angela." She extended a hand to blonde who almost shyly stepped forward to meet her.

"You too, Millicent. I've heard so much about you from Wes." She blushed.

Millicent laughed. "I hope nothing too horrible. I'm sure half of what he's said about me is far from the truth."

"Oh no!" Angela's mouth formed an 'o.' "It's all good I assure you." Wes laughed as he tucked Anglea into his side.

"I was good Millie. I didn't tell her about all those times you tickled me until I couldn't breathe or locked me in the closet... I didn't think it exactly played up my image."

As all three of them joined in laughter, they were cut short by a rustle of robes and a female voice trilling out Angela's name.

"Anglea! Angela Greengrass!" All heads swiveled toward the sound of the voice.

Millicent nearly groaned. Her brother was dating Daphne's younger sister so it seemed. As she looked between the woman rapidly approaching them and the girl next to Wes the family resemblance became more pronounced. Both were beautiful blondes, but Angela's features did not seem nearly as pinched as Daphne's. It was the figure following close behind that caused Millicent's mouth to drop open. It was Blaise, he followed Daphne at a much slower pace but it was more than evident that they were together.

"Daphne." Angela turned toward her sister. "Sorry I was making my way over I swear. Where's mum and dad?" She asked her brow furrowed slightly.

Daphne pulled to stop across from Millicent. She sent an appraising eye first along Millicent's lone figure acknowledging her presence and quickly dismissing her, then moved on to Wes and finally fell onto her sister. "They are chatting with Edgecombes, they'll be here in a minute I'm sure." She deftly ignored Millicent and turned her attention to Wes. "... and who is this?" She asked disdainfully.

Angela sighed. "This is Wes. I told you about him in my last letter."

Daphne raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Oh silly me... I must have forgotten."

As Daphne finished her final appraisal of Wes, Blaise reached her side. "Blaise... dear what took you so long?" She cooed as she slipped her hand in the crook of her arm.

"Sorry love." He smiled softly down at her, although Millicent felt it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Angela, congratulations." He smiled over at Daphne's sister.

His eyes widened as he caught site of the sandy haired boy at Angela's side. "Wes? Wes Bulstrode is that you?" A jovial grin crossed his face. "I haven't seen you in five years." As he realized who he was talking to Blaise swung his head around to the remaining member of the group. "Millicent!" His eyebrows rose. "I should have known I would see you here." He made to move forward but found his arms still entangled with Daphne's.

Millicent blinked once, then twice before she responded. "I wasn't expecting to see you here Blaise. It's... It's been a while hasn't it."

Millicent could feel the years slip away as she smiled up at Blaise. All their years of friendship flooded back and it felt as though time and space hadn't come between them.

Blaise nodded his head. "Far too long." Daphne sniffed next to him, calling attention back to his purpose for being here. "Daphne I'm sure you remember Millicent, after all you did live in the same dorms for seven years." He smirked. "Wes is her younger brother. I didn't realize that was who Angela was dating," he explained.

Daphne placed a perfectly practiced smile on her face. "Of course I remember Millicent. It's good to see you again."

Millicent nodded her head in acknowledgment. "You too, Daphne." She turned her attention back toward Blaise. "What are you doing here?" She asked a soft smile on her face.

Before Blaise could respond Daphne reached her left hand up to rest on Blaise's chest. A malicious grin on her face that only Millicent could see. "You didn't hear?" She asked sweetly. "We're engaged of course."


	2. Part II

**Part II**

Millicent plastered a smile on her face. "I hadn't heard, but then again I don't keep up with society news... you know me."

Wes looked over at his sister, her voice sounded odd... almost hollow. Millicent sensed his gaze on her, she took a deep breath hoping to affect her normal presence.

"Congratulations," she offered.

The smile that crossed Daphne's face was sharp enough to cut glass. "Yes, we're quite pleased, aren't we Blaise?" She asked looking up at her fiancé.

"Of course dear," Blaise responded, a placating smile on his face.

Millicent thought she could read dissatisfaction in his eyes, but she reminded herself that quite often the mind sees only what it wants to see. Millicent coughed as a sudden rush of emotion overcame her. She had to get out of here; she didn't want to ruin this happy memory of her baby brother making his transition to adulthood with useless thoughts of self-pity.

"Well it was good to see the both of you and nice to meet you Angela." Millicent turned back to her brother. "I should probably get back, if I remember correctly you have a feast and a few parties to attend to do you not? I'll see you at the train station tomorrow afternoon."

Wes furrowed his brow; she didn't have to leave quite yet. There was probably an hour in which they could still socialize... but as he moved forward to give his sister a hug goodbye he saw the look in her eye and didn't question her.

He squeezed her tight, "are you okay?' He asked quietly in her ear.

"Oh yes," she immediately replied. "I just have some business to take care of this afternoon. I'll be glad when you are home for the summer; things have been rather busy lately."

Wes nodded as he released her. "Bye Millie, I'll see you tomorrow!" He waved her off.

Millicent turned slowly her vision grazing across the group. Her brother happily whispering something in Angela's ear that made her face light up, Daphne carefully wrapped in Blaise's arms and of course Blaise, as handsome as he ever was. She waved slightly, a sad sort of smile on her face, before leaving the hall and apparating home.

*******************************************************************************

Many butterbeers had been consumed by the occupants of the Gryffindor common room in celebration of their recent graduation, streamers littered the floor and various products from Weasley Wizard Wheezes were scattered about. Members of several houses continued to mill about, some still drinking, but most talking, laughing and reminiscing. Angela rested against Wes as he lounged in a red velvet couch in front of the fireplace.

Angela glanced up. Wes's features were closed and quiet. She frowned slightly. It was a rare moment when Wes didn't have some sort of smile on his face. She knew he hadn't had the easiest life and a great deal of his current contentment came from the role his sister played in his life.

"You okay?" She asked softly, a small hand playing with the catch on his robe.

Wes murmured softly. He tilted his head down to look at her. "Yeah... I was just thinking about Millicent. I worry about her sometimes. She spends too much time alone. She'd never let me know that it bothers her but... I can tell she's not happy." Wes sighed and ran a hand through his sandy brown hair. "I know she never wanted to take on our parents' business but she did it for me.

Angela lifted a hand and touched his cheek. "You know she loves you... I think seeing you happy is what makes her happy."

"I know... but that's not right. She needs to be happy for herself." Wes raised his hand to cover hers resting on his cheek. "I don't know..." He trailed off and turned his lips into her palm. "Although _I_ am only too happy to have found you."

Angela smiled before she moved into capture his lips with her own. "Same here... same here," she repeated as she moved in for another kiss.

As the fire flickered down and the common room cleared out, Wes groaned. "This is going to be the longest month of my life. Remind me again why you have to go on vacation with your family."

Angela pinched his arm. "You'll survive... at least you aren't the one stuck with Daphne for four long weeks, while she selects her trousseau. She's become insufferable since she got engaged, lording that damn ring over everybody." She wrinkled her nose at Wes.

"I'll just have to make it up to you when you come visit after you get back." Wes winked as he stood up, pulling Angela with him.

They made their way over to the common room door. "I'll see you on the train in the morning." Wes placed a kiss on her cheek as Angela bounded down the stairs and headed off to the Ravenclaw dormitories.

***************************************************************************

Millicent stared at the canopied bed she'd slept in since childhood. She'd never moved into her parents' master suite... it had just never felt right. Instead she had remained in her room in the years since she had graduated.

Dark wood made up the frame and deep red hangings covered the four posters. The bed had been made by a house-elf, but it didn't really matter, no one ever saw the bloody thing. She shook her head willing the thoughts that hovered just at the edge of her mind to stay there.

A picture on her nightstand proved to be her undoing. It was from her own graduation. A group of Slytherins and two Gryffindors stood waving in the photo. Draco's image would alternate between waving at her and snogging the life from Ginny Weasley. Lavender Brown stood next to Draco with Cassius Warrington's arms wrapped around her waist. He would occasionally reach down and place a kiss on her cheek while Lavender laughed happily. Pansy stood next to Millicent in the photo, she would grin and then spin her head around looking for a certain Mr. Bletchley who was barely visible in the background of the photo. Millicent was in the center. Her picture-self grinned at her then up at Blaise who had his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

She watched him wink at her from the photo. Taking a hurried step forward she threw the picture face down on the wooden tabletop. Her hand lingered on the edge of the frame. Why had she kept the blasted photo...

Millicent sunk down onto the edge of her pristine bed – the pillows straight and unmarred. She dropped her head into her hands and bit her lip. The taste of copper filled her mouth and she squeezed her eyes shut.

It didn't matter, she reminded herself. She would be fine; she was a survivor wasn't she. Now Wes would be home and the house wouldn't be so empty. Maybe she could take some healing classes on the side or volunteer at St. Mungo's, with Wes home to help with the business. She could be perfectly content with her life as she'd always lived it... she had to be didn't she?

Scrubbing her face with her hands, Millicent laid down onto the bed. She rolled to the side and curled her knees up. If she could just get some sleep... it would all be better in the morning... of course it would be.


	3. Part III

**Part III**

Blaise set his drink down and sighed deeply.

Cassius raised an eyebrow at his raven-haired companion. "Something on your mind Zabini?"

Blaise shook his head slightly. "Nothing particular... Just enjoying the drink and the peace and quiet... That was until you had to go and open your gob." Blaise laughed at Cassius.

"Blessed silence now that the fiancé is off to the continent?"

Blaise sighed. Cassius was all too correct. "You're right and you know it I don't know why you bother to ask." Blaise raised a hand before Cassius could interrupt. "I know... I know... I'm the one marrying her. She's really not that bad as long as you know how to make her happy. Something you wouldn't even begin to know how to do!" He finished smugly.

"Really now Zabini... I'm not sure that you want to make that claim. Lavender would have a great deal to say on the subject and you know how she is once you get her started."

Blaise laughed as he downed a gulp of whiskey. "I certainly don't want to broach that topic with your wife... I _am_ smarter than that!"

A wry grin crossed Cassius's face as he raised his own glass and sipped the amber liquid. "What do you plan to do with your last few months of freedom so to speak?"

Blaise closed his eyes momentarily. It really was his last few months of freedom. He didn't harbor any delusions as to what a life married to Daphne Greengrass would entail. It wasn't a love match on his part by any means. He didn't dislike Daphne. She was fantastic in bed, he couldn't deny that. She shut up if you made sure her neck was well-adorned and her figure well-clothed. Plus she would shore up the loose-ends in his life that his father reminded him of on a daily basis. But... it wasn't more than an arrangement no matter how he looked at it.

"Not sure yet... enjoy it I'm sure." He flashed a grin. "What did you do with your time?"

Cassius laughed. "I'm afraid I wasn't in quite the same position you are mate. I rather enjoyed the prospect of my marriage so I sought to prevent the bride-to-be from leaving my bedroom... a noble undertaking from my point of view."

Blaise nodded. "Too true. I'm sure I can think of a few wild oats that have yet to be sown - not that Daphne hasn't fulfilled most of those fantasies," Blaise smirked at the slight blanching of Warrington's face.

Taking another sip, Blaise's eyes followed the glass down and he was silent for a few moments. A thought nagged at the back of his mind. "Are Lavender and Millicent still friends?"

Cassius paused at the sudden change in topic. "I think so. She hasn't been by in..." he cocked his head to the side. "In years now that I think about it. In fact I don't think she's been by since the wedding."

Blaise wrinkled his brow. He'd spent several years after graduation in Italy, working in the family business and generally being the philandering rake that his father had always said he was. He'd missed the weddings of both Cassius and Pansy; Draco seemed more than content to remain living in sin for the time being. "I saw her at the graduation of Daphne's sister. I'd forgotten that her younger brother was the same age.... in fact," he smiled softly, "Angela and Wes are dating apparently."

Cassius stilled the hand that was raising his nearly finished glass of whiskey. He nodded imperceptibly. "Ah yes her younger brother... I've caught snippets of news about her lately. Apparently she's brought her family's business up quite admirably. I didn't realize that she'd taken an interest in the magical creature trade."

"She hadn't..." Blaise shook his head as he recalled a quiet hushed conversation by the lake mere hours before their own graduation. "She knew she needed to support Wes and she couldn't let all her parent's work just fade away." He ran a finger along the edge of his cup. "I'm glad she's succeeded at it though."

Cassius watched Blaise closely. "You two were good friends weren't you?"

Blaise nodded. "Until I disappeared into my own debauchery in Italy – I lost contact with her and a great deal of others."

Blaise raised his head, a new light had entered his eyes. "I do believe I know what I'll do with my "freedom" now."

***************************************************************************

Wes draped himself over the arm of the burgundy leather chair and gave a loud sigh. He stared pointedly at his sister.

Millicent could feel his eyes on her. She slowly raised her head from the stack of parchments that she was diligently going over. "Yes?"

Wes sighed again. "Are you going to be at that all day? It's Saturday for Godric's sake."

Millicent sighed and placed the small pair of glasses that had been perched on her nose onto the mahogany desk. "I'll ask that you don't use _that_ phrase anymore... and yes I'll be at it all day. It's called work Wes, I suggest you try it."

Wes made a face. "I have the rest of my life for that. Come on lets go do something."

Millicent rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry Wes, but I've got a meeting on Monday morning and I've got to get through these proposals. Why don't you owl one of your friends from school... or Angela I'm sure she'd love to come over."

Wes shook his head a pout on his face. "She's on holiday with her family for the month and you can't tell me that you honestly want the house overrun with Gryffindors. Therefore you're stuck with me unfortunately."

Millicent stood up from the desk. "You have to know I'm glad that you're back." She ruffled his hair. "I can't tell you how quiet this house is when you are at school."

"Millie..." Wes began quietly. "Why did you stay here?"

Her hand stilled on his hair. "Why did I stay here..." she repeated slowly. "Where would I go?"

Wes smiled sadly. "I don't know... London, France anywhere. Did you stay here because you wanted to Millie?"

"Of course!" Millicent's mouth formed an 'o' of surprise. "Of course I wanted to stay here and make sure that you would have someplace to come home to... someplace for the both of use to call home." She corrected herself.

"You didn't have to, you know... I'm sorry you thought you had to stay here because of me."

"Don't be silly." Millicent smiled down at her brother. "I'm perfectly happy. I didn't stay here just because of you." She turned back toward her desk. "If you give me an hour I'll see if I can get through the proposal I'm working on, then I'll think about heading to Diagon Alley for lunch."

Wes unfolded himself from the chair with a smile. "Sounds perfect Millie. Oh, by the way this owl came for you this morning."

Wes dropped a small square of parchment on her desk before he headed out of the room. "I'll be back in an hour."

Millicent nodded as she took her seat and donned her glasses. Her name was boldly scrawled across the cream parchment. She slowly unfolded the square, her eyes straying to the signature at the bottom.

_Blaise Zabini_

Her stomach clenched painfully. Why in Merlin's name was he sending her a letter now?

She quickly scanned the contents of the letter, her hand crinkling the parchment slightly.

_Millie,_

I know I have been remiss in being your friend. For that I hope you can forgive me. As an olive branch I was wondering if you would like to have lunch with me Monday?

Your prat, Blaise Zabini


	4. Part IV

**Part IV**

She shouldn't have said yes. Definitely shouldn't have agreed to meet him for lunch. People milled around her, the small café in Diagon Alley was bustling at the height of the lunch hour.

Millicent rubbed the bridge of her nose in a familiar gesture or weariness. She should have known how trying the morning meeting was going to be... she had to fight tooth and nail to make sure the terms of the deal reflected her interests as well as Romanian Thestral dealers. _Sexist bastards_ she mused as she leaned a hip against the small iron fencing that separated the outdoor patio from the cobbled alley way.

Blaise hurried down the alleyway his suit jacket flying open in his haste. He glanced down at his watch... he was late. He cursed in fluent Italian as he quickened his pace. He'd asked her to meet him and now apparently he didn't even have the courtesy to show up on time. His father's secretary had pressed him with a stack of papers mere minutes before he'd planned on slipping out for lunch. The bint had known he was trying to escape... he could see it in her eyes as she smiled and slammed the pile of parchments down in front of him.

He ran a hand through his dark locks as he approached the small café that he had suggested for their lunch. He scanned the bustle of people moving along the street for Millicent's familiar dark hair. The sunlight gleamed off her bowed head, he watched her scrub her face tiredly as he approached.

"Millicent? Sorry... I'm late as always." Blaise grinned as Millicent's head snapped up.

At the sound of his voice Millicent pulled herself from her quiet contemplation of the terms of the deal she had just agreed to. "Blaise!" She glanced down at her own watch. "I suppose you are late. I hadn't noticed, so obviously I don't mind."

Blaise's smile widened. She was still the same easy going Millie... despite the air of weariness that floated about her. "Good, I didn't want to upset you now that we are finally getting to talk again."

Millicent pushed herself off the edge of the fence. "Shall we?" she indicated toward the open door to the café.

"Of course. I'm starving!"

Blaise led the way into the restaurant; they were seated at a small table near the front windows. Sunlight streamed in and crossed the small white tablecloth.

Glasses of water were poured for both of them, Millicent waved off the offer for something more to drink and sipped from her glass.

Blaise scanned the menu, while sneaking glances at his friend. She fidgeted with the napkin in her lap between frequent sips of her water.

"You alright Millie?" He asked setting down the parchment, his mind decided on lunch.

"Quite alright." She caught her hand reaching for her glass and she stopped herself. "Just a bit exhausted. I had a meeting this morning." She settled for running her finger along the condensation that had formed on the outside of her water glass.

Blaise wrinkled his brow slightly. "How did that go? From what I hear you've been quite successful."

Millicent laughed lightly. "I pull my own weight, but I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm successful at it. The meeting was fine. I set up a rather picky deal for a herd of Thestrals from the most irritating group of dealers I've ever had the misfortune of doing business with. Merlin! You'd think all women should still be barefoot and pregnant according to that group."

Blaise laughed aloud, throwing his head back. "Get woman! Back into the kitchen for you!"

Millicent wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Oh hush you!"

Blaise continued to chuckle as the waitress came back and took their order. "I've missed you Millie!" He smiled as he sipped from his own glass. "I'm sorry I disappeared on you... and everyone after graduation," he sobered.

Millicent set her mouth in a soft smile. "You had your reasons, I understood. I pulled a bit of a disappearing act myself... so no harm, no foul."

They chatted companionably as they waited for their respective meals to arrive. Blaise caught her up on some of his adventures, or rather misadventures, he experienced while in Italy. They talked Quidditch, which of course resulted in an agreement to disagree over the state of the Falmouth Falcons this season. Millicent could feel the years slipping away between them. She could almost see him in his school robes, the Slytherin crest winking up at her in sun as they chatted by the lake. But Daphne's visage nagged at the back of her mind, this wasn't Hogwarts and they were older now, things were different.

Millicent folded her napkin and placed it on the table. "That was delicious Blaise. Thank you for making me get out of the office. Wes has decided that all I do is _work_... and that is decidedly a four-letter word in his vocabulary."

Blaise set his fork down and smiled. "and how is the new graduate?"

"Lazy," Millicent laughed, "and moping about the house since Angela is out of town." Millicent's brow puckered in a slight frown. "If only he had the ability to see things as you obviously do... she'll be back for Merlin's sake!" Millicent teased, erasing her discomposure from her face at her veiled reference to Daphne.

Blaise laughed lightly. "Yes, she will... and when he gets to my ripe old age I'm sure he'll learn to handle the absence with more decorum."

"We are getting ancient aren't we?" Millicent smiled.

Blaise nodded, his lip quirking up in a smile. "We are all beginning to look like our parents... marrying off and living at work."

Millicent laughed a bit hollowly. "That we are... it's a sad state of affairs isn't it?"

"Oh somehow I think we will all manage. So who is the man who shall be secreting our Millie off from us?" Blaise asked curiously. She had answered his every question about her life up to now with vague answers followed by a joke. He realized he knew little about her actual life now. With his years of friendship as a background, he could see though her vagueness and defense mechanisms.

Millicent rolled her eyes quickly. "Right Blaise... Well currently I'm deciding which offer to accept... the famous Quidditch player or the dashing business man." She wrinkled her nose with a laugh. "You know me. I'm perfectly content where I'm at. I've got all I need, I don't need a man messing all that up now do I?"

"Really? Are you really happy Millie?" He reached a hand across the table and covered hers, small snippets of past conversations and hopes floating through his mind. "You don't want to be wearing that horrid medi-witch uniform day in and day out? You don't want to come home to two point five children and a Labrador?"

Millicent blinked quickly, her voice caught in her throat. Of course she wanted all that... the daft prat! But admitting that would be recognizing that she could never be happy and she wasn't dumb enough to do that to herself.

"Of course I'm... I'm happy. I think I wore a uniform for enough years. I've had my fill." Millicent nodded her head a bit too quickly.

Her mind darted about for a change in topic. "Are you really happy Blaise? I thought you were going to fall hopelessly in love with some beautiful Italian woman who couldn't speak a work of English and never be heard from again?"

Blaise laughed, he patted her hand and sat back in his chair. "Oh I'm happy enough. I don't know how Miles and Cassius dealt with this whole wedding business though. It's ghastly. Honestly, who cares what kind of rose petals are sprinkled along the aisle... they are all roses aren't they?"

Millicent chuckled. "Better you than me that has to deal with that. I merely watched Pansy and Lavender in awe... they were women possessed."

The waitress appeared with the bill in hand. After a small struggle Millicent finally relented and allowed Blaise to pay for the meal. Glancing down at his watch he cursed. "Father has me on a tight leash. I'd better get back to the office, I'd rather not hear his crotchety complaining all afternoon."

Millicent stood, smoothing the pants of her suit down. "I see your father is still the same," she sighed. "You'd better get back. But it was wonderful to see you again."

"Blaise stepped around the table to pull her into a quick hug. "You too Millie. I'll be owling you soon... we have to do this more often."

He bused her cheek with a smile. "I can already hear him yelling, I've got to run."

Millicent felt her body turn slowly as she followed his form out the door and across the large open windows. He quickly disappeared down the street the sunlight highlighting his gleaming black hair. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. Her hand covered her cheek, resting on her pale skin in a fanciful moment. Cursing softly she dropped her hand and quickly apparated back to her office.


	5. Part V

**Part V**

Pansy looped the satin tie to her robe around her waist. She listened contentedly to the sound of the tap turning on and off followed by the soft padding of feet on plush carpeting.

She ran a brush through her blonde hair and smiled as she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist.

"I'm just going to muss it you know..." Miles quipped as he nuzzled her neck.

Pansy tilted her head to the side, allowing him greater access to the length of her neck. "Sure of yourself aren't you?"

Miles murmured a response that was lost to Pansy as he lavished attention on a particularly sensitive portion of her neck. Miles swept her hair to the side as he continued to wreck havoc on Pansy's senses.

Miles finally pulled his head up. "Was I wrong?" He asked with an eyebrow quirked.

Pansy harrumphed and turned around in his arms. Her hands slid up his well-honed chest and came to rest around his neck. "That question is not worthy of a response." She punctuated her statement with a soft kiss. "Now if you give me a minute I'll join you for breakfast then you can "muss my hair", but I'm eating for two now... I _do_ require sustenance," she admonished with a smile.

Miles eyes glowed as he held her, almost reverently, in his arms. "Wouldn't want our daughter to go hungry now would we?"

"Our _son_ is craving bangers and mash this morning." Pansy winked as she slipped from his arms and retrieved a pair of slippers.

Miles watched his wife across the table from him with hooded eyes. He still found it hard to believe that he was going to be a father, that he was starting a family of his own. They were still newlyweds, but after dating for nearly 5 years he was more than ready to fill his home and his heart again.

A large Eagle Owl swooped in toward the table. It landed next to Pansy and proffered a regal leg toward her. Pansy looked curiously at Miles before she removed the letter. The owl was unfamiliar, expensive, yet unfamiliar.

She opened the letter and her eyes widened in surprise. "It's from Blaise." She glanced up at Miles. "He apologizes for having missed our wedding and wants to know if we'd like to get together for dinner or such."

Miles leaned back in his chair. "So Zabini has decided to grace us with his presence again," He drawled.

"Well, last I read he's now engaged to Daphne Greengrass. So, I guess he'll be around permanently." Chuckling at Miles scowl, she glanced back down at the missive. "Seems he ran into Millicent at this year's Hogwart's Graduation."

Pansy rested the letter on the table. "I haven't seen Millie since the wedding now that I think of it. We all really ought to get together. It's been over six months... hard to believe it's been that long." She smiled wistfully at Miles. She debated for a moment... She really ought to pen a reply... but it could wait, couldn't it? As she caught the hot penetrating gaze of her husband, her decision was made. The owl could definitely wait until this afternoon.

_______________________________________________________________________________

It had been 7 years... but it didn't diminish the ache in her chest. A soft breeze lifted her hair off her neck. She always associated the soft beginnings of summer with the pain of loss, despite the numbing effect of time.

She knew she had been irritable the past few days, but it was like that every year. She could only pretend it hadn't affected her for so many days of the year, of her life. But she did her best to maintain the façade. Wes stood to her right, his back ram-rod straight and his eyes somber. He leaned forward and placed a small bouquet of roses in front of the pair of headstones. He bowed his head for a moment, and then looked over at his sister.

Millicent nodded, he'd had his peace, she had yet to find hers but each year she valiantly tried to package it away for another 365 days. Wes inclined his head and slowly headed back to the house, leaving his sister with the graves of their parents and the silence of the morning light.

She heard the crunch of his footsteps fade away as her eyes remained fixed on a point of the horizon just beyond the top of the granite markers. She blinked several times, pushing aside her betraying tears. Crying wouldn't change anything, it wouldn't make anything clearer and it certainly wouldn't bring her parents back.

The soft scent of the roses she held wafted up to her nose. Her mother had always loved the deep red of the flowers in Millicent's hand. She recalled her mother with twinkling eyes remarking that she was infinitely jealous that Millie could wear such gorgeous jewel tones while she never could with her fair coloring - that was if Millie ever got out of her quidditch jumper.

Millicent muffled a sob. She wondered if her mother would be proud of her today, if her father would smile down at her with pride over the choices she had made. Deep down she knew they had loved her and Wes, but she still wished she could be the girl her mother had always wished she could be, a girl they could be proud of rather than the dowdy recluse she had turned into. Millicent crouched down slowly and placed the flowers next to Wes's bouquet. She fisted a hand and put it to her mouth as she squeezed her eyes shut.

A quiet crunch of gravel alerted her to the presence of someone behind her. "I'm on my way Wes." She absently sighed as she tried to regain control of her emotions. She didn't want him to see her like this.

"He said I might find you up here." A deep voice caused her to start.

"Blaise..." She whispered.

Blaise looked down at Millie as she slowly swiveled, still crouched. He remembered standing in the same spot seven years previous. Long dark robes whipping in the breeze, the soft sound of tears from the small gathering. He recalled snaking an arm around his friend who stood silently, her jaw set solidly. A small boy clung to her side, his face wreathed in pain as he tried, unsuccessfully, to not cry. She hadn't shed a tear... he'd never seen her show more emotion than a small tick in her cheek.

"Wha... What are you doing here?" She asked, blinking her eyes rapidly.

"I wanted to see if you and Wes wanted to catch a bite to eat... I forgot what day it was. I'm sorry." He tilted his chin down and took a step towards her.

Millicent waved a hand dismissively. "It's nothing. I'm sure we can arrange something." She murmured, her nerves slowly unraveling... It was all becoming too much as she rested her eyes on his broad shoulders and dark hair. She hadn't let herself reflect on the lunch she'd had with him earlier in the week. She'd immediately thrown herself into work, busying her mind and occupying her thoughts. Then she'd lost herself in the memory of her life 7 years earlier... although Blaise himself was inexorably intertwined with that memory.

Blaise caught the sheen that covered her blue eyes. He reached a hand out toward her. "Millie..." He forgot about the years that had come between them and he saw once again the girl who had so stoically stood next to him while her world crumbled around her. That scared girl, who had hid it all so expertly, still existed inside her and it hurt him.

Millicent let her hand slip into his and he pulled her to her feet. He murmured something before he pulled her into his arms. Millicent felt his arms band around her back and she let her head fall onto his shoulder. She closed her eyes, willing away the wave of emotion that washed over her.

The pain was nearly as fresh as the day she'd seen the ministry officials enter Blaise's house where she had been spending the day. It was nearly as raw as when she had pulled her brother from the corner of his room, his young face awash with tears. She wondered if it would ever cease to burn through her system.

A hated tear coursed its way down her cheek. Her hand flew up to dash it away, but was caught by a stronger grip. "Let it be..." He whispered.

Her eyes flew to his. Blue eyes almost the same color as hers, only more violet in their hue looked down softly at her. "It's okay Millie." He soothed as his other hand softly stroked the length of her back.

It was if he'd never left... she mused briefly as she felt the tears well up and slip down her cheeks. Merlin she loved him. She always had and probably always would. He'd always been there when she'd needed him most. All the feelings she pushed out of her heart when she'd graduated slipped back in swiftly and painfully. She knew he'd never feel the way she did about him, but she didn't have a choice in it anymore.

She hiccupped and his arm tightened around her back. She buried her face into his chest, the soft fabric of his oxford caressing her cheek. "I miss them so much." She whispered quietly.

Blaise remained silent, his own jaw set. Millicent continued brokenly. "I wish I could be the woman my mum wanted me to be... but I'll never be that girl."

Blaise's hand stilled on her back. "Of course you are that girl."

She shook her head against his chest. "No..." She hiccupped again. "No, I'll never be her. I want to be her so much it hurts." Her eyes squeezed shut and Blaise clenched his jaw.

"They would be so proud of you Millie. Look at all you've done." Blaise raised his hand and stroked her hair.

Her response was muffled into his shirt as years of pent-up pain continued to soak his shirtfront. He thought he made out a denial but couldn't be sure. He continued the soothing slip of his hand over the black blouse she wore while he murmured words of comfort and condolence in the hair covering her ear. He wished he could take away the hurt, but he knew this moment was a necessary step.

The pain in his chest eased as the tears she shed finally slowed and the soft summer breeze dried their evidence. How much time went by he didn't know and didn't care... somehow the moment was just right.


End file.
